Tag: NFL

Richard Sherman and Aqib Talib Reportedly Interested in Joining Patriots

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Boston Herald – The Patriots should focus on a couple power hitters to replace outgoing cornerback Malcolm Butler. Suffice to say, two of the most intriguing corners in the NFL have their eye on the Patriots. For now, Richard Sherman is a Seahawk and Aqib Talib is a Bronco, and the Pats can’t do anything about that. But there’s an understanding in league circles that both could become available at some point this offseason…Last offseason the Pats did call the Seahawks about Sherman, who turns 30 at the end of this month, but the trade interest was brief. Sherman was receptive to the idea of joining the Patriots then and still is now if Seattle goes in another direction, according to a source..Talib, 32, would be receptive to the idea of rejoining the Patriots, according to a source. So if the Broncos unload him prior to free agency, that potential courtship could begin in the coming days.

As Howe mentions here, last season the Patriots actually explored a potential deal with Seattle for Richard Sherman, which obviously didn’t go through. But you have to think the framework of a potential deal is at least there with the price only having gone down since then.

Now as Felger and Mazz producer Jimmy Stewart points out, both Sherman and Talib are (or will be) on the wrong side of 30 by next season and the Patriots decided to move on from Darrelle Revis at the age of…yup you guessed it, 30.

But I think more of that had to do with Revis’ compete level than his actual age.

If there’s one thing that Sherman…

…and Talib…

…absolutely do not lack it is a psychotic compete level. Plus cornerback isn’t like runningback where you just completely fall off a cliff at 30. So I wouldn’t be as concerned with that.

Now obviously Sherman is coming off a torn achilles soo that would give me a bit of pause. Contrary to popular belief that injury is less than ideal, but hey guess what? The cupboards are bare at cornerback. So unless something better becomes available I will take one (or both) of these guys in a second. Now obviously both are still under contract with their respective teams so the Patriots can not and should not wait on these guys, but hey if they are still rice paper thin at cornerback once the summer gets here then they’d be downright negligent to not at least kick the tires.

I Sense Much Fear in You, Patriots Fans

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Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. I sense much fear in you.

A lot of my friends are still pretty pissed off at Bill Belichick for decisions made that may or may not have lost the Patriots a Super Bowl (i.e. benching Malcolm Butler). With all the negative publicity surrounding the Patriots recently fans are seemingly wavering in their confidence. There are a ton of dominoes that will need to fall one way or another before next season, which is what Patriots fans fear most.

Rob Gronkowski could be jumping ship to go hit people with steel chairs.

That would have sounded insane just a couple of months ago, but the longer we go the larger the possibility is that Gronk will walk away from the NFL to join the WWE and chase Hollywood. On the outside looking in that is preposterous because he’s arguably the greatest TE to ever play the game, only 28 years old, playing for an elite team with an elite QB, and coming off one of his healthiest seasons. But he’s also already made tens of millions of dollars and despite his relative health this season, another concussion notwithstanding, Gronk may be starting to think about his mortality. Is it worth it to play a few more years and possibly blow out my knee again, break my arm again, break my back again? People forget just how banged up this guy has been. With the recent run of NFL players retiring young these days it wouldn’t surprise me. It would borderline tragic as a Patriots fan to see Gronk step away, but I wouldn’t fault him.

The Patriots leading rusher Dion Lewis could be gone

Lewis sounded like a guy reserved to a fate of playing in Indianapolis or Tampa Bay next year in a recent podcast with Adam Schefter.

“I love it here…Hopefully it will work out, but at the same time, you can’t really think that way. You have to take care of yourself and your family…At the same time, I’m not putting all my eggs in one basket,” he said. “I know how the team likes to handle their business, and as a running back, you have to make the most of your opportunity…My main thing is just making sure I’m valued. That’s my biggest thing — to make sure I’m valued the way I value myself.”

Similar to many players that excel with the Patriots, Lewis bounced around the league for years before putting it all together and breaking out in New England. It would be a shame to see him leave as the Patriots are nearly undefeated with a healthy Dion Lewis on the field. Thats the key word there though; healthy. While another team may be willing to roll the dice on Lewis’ knees and pay big bucks to sign the RB, I don’t see Belichick doing the same.

Malcolm Butler is gone.

This one’s not even a question. I think Belichick could have burned Butler’s house down and we’d have a better shot at him coming back than we do after Bill benching Malcolm for the entire goddamn Super Bowl. Butler resigning with the Patriots would shock me more than him not playing in the Super Bowl.

Nate Solder is a free agent

He could return to protect Brady’s blind side, which might be the single most important job in all of New England, but he’s also dealing with some very serious real life issues as his young son continues to battle cancer. At some point the commitment it takes to play in the NFL may be more than Solder is willing to sacrifice at this point. I wouldn’t blame him if he walks away to spend more time with his family.

Danny Amendola is a free agent

After taking pay cuts each of the last 3 years, Amendola’s original 5-year contract is up. So while Amendola has clearly demonstrated he is a company man, does he want to play for less than market value yet again? He has carved out a folk hero-esque role here and seems to be BFFs with Tom Brady, so maybe he does, but if someone knocks down his door with a big money offer does that make  him think twice?

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Okay, thoroughly depressed now? Time for some SILVER LININGS!

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Tom Brady is the reigning MVP

Whether you believe Alex Guerrero is the next coming of Christ or if you think the TB12 Method is a total crock of shit, you can’t deny whatever Brady’s doing is working. He’s the goddamn MVP at 40 years old and just threw for 500 fucking yards in the Super Bowl. As always with an older player, I fear the end of the road, but Brady has been so damn good its hard to know if thats coming next year or if he’ll be collecting Social Security checks while under center. Either way, life is good.

Julian Edelman will be back

He has been posting workout videos almost daily and while I cringe watching him sprint, jump, and cut on his surgically repaired ACL, I gotta say he looks great. All that while not even rocking a shirt, impressive stuff.

Dont’a Hightower will be back

The Patriots missed him in a bad, bad way this past season. Relying on the likes of 40-year old James Harrison and signing guys like David Harris (who just retired) to fill in for the likes of All-Pros like Kyle Van Noy. So Hightower will be back next year. Until he gets hurt again. But he will be back!

Brandin Cooks will have a full offseason to work with Tom Brady

Who knows, he may even get invited out to the TB12 Neverland Ranch in Montana to work out with the rest of the receiving corp! A lot of the Boston media was pretty down on Cooks, which I just do not get. Was he 2007 Randy Moss? Of course not, but he was one of the most immediately successful wide receivers Belichick has ever picked up behind only Moss and Wes Welker. Usually these receivers come into Foxborough and are a disaster because they just don’t have it anymore, they can’t figure out the system, or they fall out of Brady’s circle of trust. Joey Galloway, Ocho Cinco, and Brandon Lloyd. In his lone season playing with Brady, Cooks had 65 catches for 1,082 yards and 7 TDs. Not too shabby, now give him 6 months to study the playbook and work with Brady and Belichick.

Fear not, young padawan. The city of Boston is not falling into a sinkhole. The Patriots are still elite and while there are some holes to fill and some air needs to be cleared, they will still be one of the favorites to win Super Bowl LIII. That’ll do, pig.

 

Roger Goodell is Gonna Tax That Ass; Demanding Millions From Jerry Jones and the Cowboys

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ESPN – The NFL is demanding reimbursement in excess of $2 million from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones for court costs related to star running back Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension and Jones’ threatened litigation over commissioner Roger Goodell’s contract, sources told ESPN’s Dan Graziano. The owners are citing a rule that has been on the books for more than two decades, that says if an owner participates in bringing litigation against other owners, he must reimburse them for the legal fees. An earlier report by The New York Times characterized the reimbursement as a fine to be levied on Jones by Goodell. 

Remember when Goodell was jokingly referred to as the Sheriff and the Ginger Hammer? Back in the day when he was just slapping the Pacman Jones’ of the world with suspensions that were long overdue. Now? Now Goodell is like a dictator of a collapsing country grasping at his last pillars of power.

On one hand Roger Goodell continues to be the biggest dirtbag in sports and is essentially attempting to extort the Cowboys and more importantly Jerry Jones out of millions of dollars. All because Jerry stood against the NFL and, again more importantly, Goodell.  On the other hand, if I’m Goodell and one of these owners did everything he could do shaft me out of a big pay day you’re goddamn right I’m coming back for blood.

Live look at Jerry and Goodell at the NFL Owners Meeting:

And of course as a Patriots fan I am laughing manically. As an objective third party in this particular situation, I hate to say it, but….we told you so. We told you morons that Goodell was a corrupt puppet and everyone told us to take our medicine. Now Jerry Jones has a problem with the league, fights them bitterly, tries to throw a coup and remove Goodell from office, and now the pendulum is swinging back on him. Goodell is coming to tax that ass.

I fully expect Jerry Jones to show up to the next NFL Owners Meeting and have an Alonzo Harris meltdown in the Jungle.

Dexter Manley Rips Tom Brady, Says Joe Montana is the Goat. Wait, WHO?

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NESN – Dexter Manley won a pair of Super Bowls in his day, and when asked a question about the best quarterback he ever played against (mind you his playing career stretched from 1981-1991), he used it as an opportunity to really rip into the New England Patriots quarterback. “People give Tom Brady too much credit,” Manley said, via WEEI.com. “It is a team effort. No. 1, he gets the ball out of his hand quick. He has good mechanics, but he’s no Joe Montana. My daughter could out-run Tom Brady. Joe Montana is the best of all-time. He’s the best passer — him and Dan Marino. That guy don’t fit in those categories. I don’t care what they say.”

So former Washington R-Words defensive end Dexter Manley was on TV discussing who he thinks is the greatest QB of all time.

Dexter scoffed at the idea that Tom Brady is the best to ever do it. Why?  He gets the ball out quick, he has good mechanics, he has 5 Super Bowl rings, but he can’t run fast so I gotta give the nod to Joe Montana here.

Ya know what Tom Brady doesn’t have?


Oh and Dan Marino is better too? The guy with as many Super Bowl rings as me. Makes sense, Dexter.

Sure Brady has had great players around him too. Take for instance Randy Moss, who he played with for parts of 3 seasons (not including the year Brady missed to a knee injury) and never won a SB with. He also has Gronk of course, who is a first ballot HOFer no doubt, but Brady has won 4 Super Bowls without him. Brady’s had 5-star recruits and household names like the 7th round QB out of Kent State he turned into one of the best receivers in the NFL in Julian Edelman. Or the time the undrafted WR out of Texas Tech came out of nowhere and Brady molded him into the most reliable hands on the Patriots. TWICE. Danny Amendola and Wes Welker of course. I could go on and on.

Meanwhile Joe Montana had by all accounts the greatest receiver to ever play the game IN HIS PRIME. The NFL’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns played with Joe Montana for 6 seasons, winning 3 Super Bowls together.

All that and Tom Brady still has him beat by the numbers. Tom Brady has a better career Completion Percentage, TD Percentage, INT Percentage, Passer Rating, more 4th Quarter Comebacks, more Game Winning Drives, and Brady has over 26,000 more career passing yards, and over 200 more Touchdowns than Dexter Manley’s lord and savior Joe Montana.

What about the fact that Brady “gets the ball out quickly” and just dumps it off as Dexter Manley put it? Well Tom Brady and Joe Montana actually have the same exact average Yards per Attempt at 7.5.

Oh and Tom Brady also has more Pro Bowls, wins, division titles, Conference Championships, Super Bowl rings, Super Bowl MVPs, and NFL League MVP awards.

Hey Dexter?

Tim Tebow: I Still Have Offers To Play In The NFL. All 32 NFL Teams: No You Don’t

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Yahoo – …..“Well, no. It wasn’t like that,” Tebow said. “I mean, I still have offers to go play other positions in … ”

Well what can I say, what the 300’s giveth, the 300’s taketh away. Because before I saw this and nearly spit out the water I was drinking (humblebrag, I hydrate quite a lot) I was pretty pro-Tebow. I think I wrote a bit of a hit-piece on something he did or said on here but overall I was. Let him do his thing. Sure the overly polite, always nice thing is a little much and pretty contrived, but he’s been a winner in all he has done, is set for life, and if he is given a chance to pursue another childhood dream of his, why not? Go for it kid. Then this pops up today and I kind of have to reverse course on Tebow. Because if there is one thing I simply can’t stand in this world it’s when someone completely lacks self-awareness. No sense of who they are or how they are viewed by the public. That is why some people have slowly turned on Tebow over the years. That’s why people have turned on folks like Brendan Schaub and my aforementioned least favorite person Justin Bieber – they simply have lost any concept of how people view them or what value they provide in people’s lives. In the case of Timothy Tebow, he provides value to approximately nobody’s life in terms of playing the game of football.

Now, I’m not calling Tebow a liar here, I’m not. I’m sure he has offers to “come to camp” or “have a tryout” or some other “we’ll take a long shot on you” chance. What he doesn’t have is offer to play. In the. NFL. There’s a difference. I’m sure the majority of teams in need of a TE or a FB or a personal fucking punt protector see it as a no-lose scenario to have Tebow come in and try out for that gap in their roster. It’ll spark public interest in the team, it’ll show their fan base they are “listening” and also trying to improve the roster, and hell, if he makes the team, the dollars will start rolling in faster than a crew of 20 year olds to a DayGlo party. With all of that said, this is an offer to TRY OUT. Come prove that you can do a damn thing to help us win a football game. Not an offer to show up, suit up, and go out there and play, because 0 out of 32 teams have any real confidence Tim Tebow can do that on a professional level.

So the question is: is he simply bragging in an interview, reminding NFL teams he’s still open to coming back (as a quarterback LAUGHING CRYING FACE EMOJI), or does he seriously think there are teams out there that are really hoping they can get his name on a 53 man roster? I honestly think it’s the latter, he just has that much self confidence, and like I said, as evidenced by a million interviews, a complete lack of self awareness. He probably has a lot to offer football in terms of coaching, mentoring, and analysis, but his playing days should just be considered over. Done with. Fin. For everyone’s sake.

Ryan Shazier Says He Will Play in the NFL Again and I Hope He Changes His Mind

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ESPN – In his first interview since suffering a severe spinal injury in early December, Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier said he plans to play football again. “I’ve gotta get back, bro,” Shazier said on teammate Roosevelt Nix’s podcast, which was posted to social media Tuesday night. Shazier touched on several topics in the podcast, including his desire to become a Pro Football Hall of Famer. Shazier, 25, underwent spinal stabilization surgery Dec. 6 after a tackling attempt on Monday Night Football in Cincinnati left him clutching his lower back.

I respect the hell out of the resolve and I hope that this is a ‘prove it to myself’ thing where Shazier can just get back on the field and then retire. What I don’t want to see is the guy who suffered one of the worst injuries we’ve ever seen in the NFL just jump right back in after nearly being paralyzed. I thought for sure Shazier was paralyzed watching him writhe around on the ground while his legs were motionless. Thats the kinda stuff that makes you watch football with one eye closed. Its tough to watch honestly. Now these guys all know what they’re getting into and they’re getting paid millions of dollars so I’m not gonna lose any sleep over it, but at some point you have to protect people from themselves. Thats why the NFL has concussion spotters now. Whats a few million dollars if you literally can’t walk?

Quotes from Shazier like this worry me though:

“I just have to be back out there so everybody can see it. You know what I’m saying?”

“[Shazier] posted a picture of himself standing with Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He’s proud of that one. “People were thinking Ben was supporting me, too — he barely was even holding me.”

Is it hypocritical of me after having cheered on Tedy Bruschi coming back to the Patriots after suffering a goddamn stroke? Absolutely, but as athletes get bigger, faster, and stronger every year these injuries are going to become more prevalent not less. Thats why we’re seeing more and more players retire before the age of 30, including half of the 49ers last year.

Would I be bummed if Rob Gronkowski decides to trade in his football cleats for some spandex in the WWE? Of course, but I wouldn’t begrudge the guy. If you can make a bunch of money somewhere else without risking the car crash type injuries the NFL puts players through every week then you do you.

I can’t imagine how important it is for Shazier to prove that he can make it back to the NFL, especially for a guy that feels like he’s the absolute best player in the world at his position. I get that. Just don’t put blinders on and ignore the risks for the pursuit of glory on the gridiron.

I Have Legitimately Grown Emotionally Attached to Tom Brady and Bill Belichick

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I have grown so emotionally attached to Tom Brady and Bill Belichick I don’t know what I’m going to do when (if) they ever retire. It was similar with David Ortiz; I grew up with these guys. Sure I remember watching the Pats get their teeth kicked in by Brett Favre and the Packers in Super Bowl XXXI when I was a youngling, but I wasn’t really a fully functioning human being until a few years later. We’ve experienced the highest of highs together like 2001 when they pulled off the greatest upset in SB history, going back to back in 2003-04 with the addition of veterans like Rodney Harrison and Corey Dillon to an already stacked team. Of course the Malcolm Butler interception and the 28-3 comeback against the Falcons. And I’ll never forget the lowest of lows. As they say, losing hurts more than winning feels good. The 2007 Super Bowl and David goddamn Tyree who probably sells car insurance now. Mario Manningham and that ridiculous catch in the 2011 Super Bowl. Sigh.

And then of course all the teams in between: the 2006 AFC Championship game collapse against Peyton Manning and the Colts, the 2010 home loss to Ray Rice and the Ravens, the AFC Championship game loss to Peyton Manning and the Broncos in the 2015 season.

I think thats why I literally have found myself becoming emotional these past couple of weeks. Last year it was Tom Brady nearly breaking down at Media Day before the Super Bowl when a little kid asked him who his hero was.

This year its Belichick wearing his dad’s hat to Minneapolis.

The other night I witnessed Tom fighting back tears in his Tom vs Time series when Mr. Kraft gave Tom’s mother a Super Bowl ring as she’s been kicking cancer’s ass. So much dust in my living room.

Its crazy because I’ve never met these guys, but I feel like they’re a part of my family and THAT is why all of this will never get old. People say oh you’ve won enough let someone else have a shot. Not a chance. As the infamous Don Draper once said. I’m not happy with 50% I want all of it.

These Are the Stakes the Patriots are Playing for in Super Bowl LII

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Its almost here. Its the last day of cube life before Super Bowl LII. We’ve had boots on the ground to bring you into the Super Bowl Experience, we’ve provided you with Patriots porn, we’ve got you ready to run through a wall for this team, now its time to really analyze this. What are the stakes? What are the Patriots really playing for here?

I for one will be leaving the office at 5:00 pm on the dot like one of the iron mill workers in the Simpsons.

Its officially Super Bowl weekend. Here are the stakes.

Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and Robert Kraft are going for their 6th ring together.

Tom Brady is already the all-time winningest QB, he’s already stuffed Joe Montana in a locker. Now he’s looking to take the all-time GOAT title from Michael Jordan. And despite what that walking hot take Doug Gotleib says,

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A win on Sunday makes Tom Brady hands down the greatest athlete of all-time. Big Z already laid out the perfect rebuttal.

Bill Belichick is playing for a fresh paint job on his boat.

Historic radio calls. If the Patriots win Sunday, they HAVE to play the Gil Santos audio right? Like Bob Socci and Zolak have to just turn off their mics and play Gil’s call don’t they? “BACK TO BACK, THREE OUT OF FOUR!”

Tom vs Time will win a goddamn Emmy if it ends with 40 year old Tom Brady winning the league MVP and his 6th Super Bowl ring.

Similar to 2004, the Pats are expected to lose both their offensive and defensive coordinators this offseason, so winning back to back Super Bowls would be a hell of a way to go out for Patricia and McDaniels a la Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis before them.

Do people realize that if the Patriots win it sets up an opportunity to conquer yet another NFL legendary record? No team in the history of the league has ever won 3 Super Bowls in a row? 19-0 will likely never happen and that absolutely breaks my heart, but winning back-to-back-to-back Super Bowls would likely never be matched.

The mental well being of the annual asshole who got the Super Bowl champions tattoo before the team actually plays the game:

Brady, Belichick and RKK getting up on that podium, accepting the Vince Lombardi Trophy and telling Seth Wickersham, Max Kellerman, Bart Scott, Dan Shaugnessy, and every other click-baiting miserable hater 4 beautiful words:

BREAKING: GRONK GOOD TO GO! YO SOY FIESTA!

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Image result for gronk spike

 

ProFootballTalk – Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will play Sunday as he said he would earlier this week.

Doctors have cleared Gronkowski from concussion protocol, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. Gronkowski is scheduled to meet with reporters at the team’s media availability at 5 p.m. ET, via Rapoport.

LLLLLET’S GO! The news everyone assumed was coming has indeed arrived. Gronk has been cleared from the concussion protocol and been given the green light to play on Sunday after taking quite the shot from Barry Church in the AFC Championship Game (for what it’s worth I had no issue with the hit – just an unfortunate by-product of how fast the game has gotten).

Out loud, it was widely assumed by Patriot nation that Gronk would be cleared to play. However, in the backs of all our minds, in the caverns and nooks and crannies where we dare not go when we are alone and the lights are out, there was that doubt that our all-Universe Gorilla of a Tight End wouldn’t be able to play leaving a 6’6 275lb hole in our offense.

WELL FEAR NO MORE. He is good to go. We are good to go. The reigning. Defending. Undisputed. Champions of the world. Super Bowl LII. GIVE ME ONE MORE TOMMY!

Some Patriots Porn Courtesy of Colin Cowherd to Get You Jacked Up for the Super Bowl

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Its difficult to see, hear, and read everything going on this week leading up to the Super Bowl, but this Colin Cowherd video below is an excellent use of your time. Cowherd goes into what makes the Patriots so damn successful; they’re a business operation.

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  • “When you watch a Patriots game there is a trust between the fans and the team; they’ll get it right.” [after bad losses] “They immediately fix it because thats what the academics do in life.”
  • “The Patriots are the billionaires of the NFL. They have created a system that is reliable, consistent, without emotion. They are capable of avoiding cultural issues, rule changes, and injuries. They’re not beholden to any one employee. And what they did yesterday is what they’ve been doing for years. A systematic consistent dependable product.”
  • “They don’t lead the NFL in penalties, they don’t fumble, they don’t get emotionally crazy, they adapt constantly and they drive you crazy. And I never grew up as a Patriots fan, but the Patriots aren’t a football operation, they are a business operation.”
    “Look at their Super Bowls, they are a David Tyree helmet catch from 6-1. They don’t blow anybody out. They never have. I’d argue in all seven Super Bowls they’ve been the least talented team, but they’re always the smartest, most reliable, most consistent, most prepared.”
  • “They are not a football team, they’re a business operation. They are boring. So is wealth.”